Buddhist hagiography in forming the canon in the classical literatures of Indochina

For many centuries the religious literature of Buddhism had a strong influence upon the architecture, sculpture, mural painting, folklore and written culture in the ancient and medieval kingdoms of Indochina. Buddhist hagiography as a significant genre of the Pali sacred scriptures played an important role in the development of the national epic traditions in classical poetry, prose, drama, in forming the canon of Myanmar (Burmese), Khmer, Lao, Mon and Siamese (Thai) literatures.